Boone OKs

$20 million budget
By Frank Ruggiero
ruggiero@wataugademocrat.com

And $20,463,502 it is.

The Boone Town Council adopted its 2008-09 budget at Thursday’s regular meeting, marking no increase in property tax but a boost in water and sewer rates.

In a summarized breakdown, the budget sees $12,326,994 devoted to the general fund, $163,500 to the emergency telephone system, $18,000 to narcotics enforcement, $623,210 to water and sewer, $1,068,500 to health insurance, $112,234 to the municipal service district, and $544,064 to the rural fire district.

Property tax will remain at 37 cents per $100 valuation, with the rate set at 21 cents per $100 valuation for the municipal service district.

For water and sewer, the town opted for a tiered billing system that council members anticipate will encourage conservation.

“The more you use, the more you pay,” Boone Public Utilities director Rick Miller said.

The water minimum rate was adjusted to $14 for up to 1,000 gallons. Should customers use between 1,000 and 2,000 gallons, they’ll pay $15. The tiered system is as follows:

•2,001-4,999 gallons – $5.15 per thousand

•5,000-9,999 gallons – $5.40 per thousand

•10,000-19,999 gallons – $5.90 per thousand

•20,000 and above – $6.15 per thousand

Miller offered an example of how the system works. If a residential customer has a 6,000-gallon usage, the first 2,000 gallons would cost $15. The next 3,000 would be $5.15 times three, amounting to $15.45. Since the 5,000 mark has been crossed, the remaining 1,000 gallons would cost $5.40, making a total water bill of $35.85.

Under last year’s rate schedule, a customer would have paid $30.60, and Miller said the rating applies to both residential and commercial customers.

Sewer is also affected, now costing $4.50 per thousand gallons. Availability fees for water were increased from $2.50 to $3.75 per gallon, and availability fees for sewer increased from $3 to $4.50. Miller said this is the first time such fees have been increased since he became public utilities director in 2003.

The meter connection fee, which includes disconnection and reconnection, increased to $20 from $10, and the returned check fee to $25 from $20.

For more information, call Boone Public Utilities at (828) 266-1183.